The Plague's Chosen
by Lacey14
Summary: What is the Plague? Some say a disease--searching for prey, consuming them like a virus. Others say it is curable, like polio. Truthfully, it's a MURDERER, a HUNTER and a LIVING THING. How could something so inhuman be this? It may, in fact, be human.
1. Prologue::

Hello, hello! And welcome to The Plague's Chosen. This is going to be a VERY long story with lotsa chapters and a developing, already planned plot. If you do not particularly like this in fanfics, then…blah :P Read it anyway…PLEASE?!?!?!

Ahem…Anyway, this story is rated PG-13 for suggestive themes, violence and some language. I will write some more information later on, but for now this is all I'm gonna give xD Please enjoy!

Also, I'm not necessarily going to have the anime characters. The anime is all right, but I'm obsessed with the games more. However, I LOVE writing Pokémon fanfics. They're just so much fun :O So yes...MAYBE somewhere in the chapters there will be a brief mention of the anime characters, but that's it. Just warnin' ya. This is my ORIGINAL Pokémon fanfic with an ORIGINAL plot and ORIGINAL characters. Just lettin' ya know =D

The Plague's Chosen

::Prologue::

Emerald blades of grass were swaying beneath the delicate caress of the wind, driven by the invisible force that insisted it move. The trees were disarrayed in a repeating shuffle, their leaves yearning to reach the sky as they jabbed upward, defying gravity's wish. The sky was still despite its energetic shade of blue that seemed to brighten whatever gazed at it. A calm atmosphere was what caused such stillness to shroud the land, but it was immediately interrupted by four paws that carried firmly over the dirt, slicing through the grouped vegetation in effortless speed.

A scarlet blur jumped over one of the green obstacles. Her eyes were black with intensifying seriousness, the curled fur on her head only slightly moving from having fierce wind swoosh against it. The creature was fox-like with a bouncy, large tail that consisted of six long curls grouped and tightened together, the shade remaining to be just a bit darker than the fur that pressed against the rest of her body. The Pokémon darted over yet another green obstacle, catching her breath as the suspension in midair allowed a small break.

Once her paws hit the ground, the Pokémon wasted no time and continued her urgent route, the jolt of fear causing her speed to be flawless and only hindered by the land she ran upon. Her thoughts were blank despite the urgency of her emotions, which completely devoured her mind, her paws heeding to the will of survival.

The Pokémon knew only two things at the moment. One, if she didn't get far away _right now_, then something terrible would happen. Two, her parents had fallen at the hands of the Plague, and they did not survive.

Before her parents were killed, they had given her a valuable object, which was now clinging to her chest and causing her ribs to feel sore from having the pressure of the bizarre structure press against it. It was a red square plate that attached itself to her like armor once they had given it to her. They did not say anything of the gift. They merely said to get far away with the item and make sure no one got it.

A hum rumbled from within the Pokémon's throat as she was astonished to discover she was already at the forest's exit. Excising her fear and embracing her bravery, she jumped into the air and leapt over the edge of the forest, her exit giving her that extra burst of happiness as she realized she had escaped. She was free.

Abruptly, a tendril of darkness sliced over the little fox, its greedy hold causing her to shriek in a combination of realization and fear. She had been captured.

Her wails and struggles were countered by the darkness that had captured her and was now pulling her back into its cruel essence. Her vision blackened, replaced by the substance that engulfed her.

Darkness? No…It couldn't be…This _something, the Plague,_ was capable of holding her and killing Pokémon…

Her closed eyes opened. The forest floor emerged before her vision, along with a human leg, lying limply beside her with the knee bending.

She gasped as she saw the human part and sat up quickly, noticing that the darkness had deceased and no longer cradled her within its bizarre structure. And then, with fascination, she peered toward her right and saw the human leg, noticing that it wasn't separated from a human. Instead, it was attached to _her_.

Upon seeing this, she shrieked and backed against a tree trunk, the terror of seeing an attached human part to _her_ body causing her heart to thud rapidly in her chest. Why was it there? Had the Plague done this to her? Why did it give her a human part?

With further discovery, she realized the body she was in felt unfamiliar, like a hermit crab trapped in a new shell it did not want nor need. Devastated, she grimaced at her changed body and saw that her four-legged body had been morphed into something gruesome and feared in the wild Pokémon society.

A human. She was a human.

How? Why?

The naked girl—aside from the expanded red plate that concealed her torso—rose from the ground and ran, not caring where she went or what became of her. The long strands of red hair atop her head flew behind her, making the six curls bounce in the breeze her hurried pace had started.

[-*****-]

"Jeremy, I _swear_. If you don't grab one, I will." Giselle's voice had been boundlessly threatening Jeremy that day, and though you would assume someone would get tired of doing such a thing, her voice wasn't at all weakened or mangled from having talked so warningly to him time and time again. A strand of her shadowy hair parted over cerulean eyes, and she felt her cheeks flush after Jeremy flashed her a nonchalant grin, the happy-go-lucky boy she had known nearly all her life causing her to feel foolish once again.

"Gigi, you've got to be a little more patient," Jeremy's slightly deepened voice said as his fingers pecked an apple off one of the offered trays in the cafeteria. His brunette hair shimmered from the glow of the ceiling lights that filtered above him, appearing almost blond after the streaks of light clashed with his hair's texture. His eyes were dark brown and framed with long dark lashes that batted against his caramel skin every time he blinked. He felt the need to turn, realizing that Giselle was staring at the offered food hungrily, as if they were her dying wish.

After grabbing some of the offered food and laying them on her plate, she glared with little effort toward Jeremy and followed coarsely after him to their lunch table. "I told you not to call me that."

"Aw come on. It's cuter than your name," he teased, chewing his freshly bitten apple and speaking in-between bites.

Giselle wrinkled her nose at the manners Jeremy was failing to show as he chewed with his mouth opened, not caring that his lips made smacking noises every time they made contact between every bite. Her eyes slid gingerly to stare at the table, feeling her face bottle with unnecessary heat. "Whatever you say, _Jerry_."

"At least I always win, _Tom_." Jeremy paused to stick his tongue out, revealing the scattered juicy crumbs that were etched along the slimy pink muscle.

Giselle couldn't help but recoil in disgust once again and shoved a hand against his shoulder, ducking her head to hide her maroon-colored face. There was something about Jeremy that caused her face to color with red and make her hands shake uncontrollably, almost as if she was suffering from an internal earthquake. She wouldn't admit this out loud, but her thoughts often strayed toward the truth that she was starting to like him in ways she never thought possible. Yes, she's known him all her life, but just by being around his presence that long had caused her heart to slowly melt, almost as if he had been the candle, and she had been the wax. Just by seeing him or picturing his image in her mind, joy felt essential to her usually drab emotions and a light illuminated the darkness.

She cursed how cheesy she sounded before doing another playful shove against Jeremy's shoulder. "Gross. Really gross. No wonder you don't have a date for the dance."

Jeremy dropped his apple onto his tray, belched and leaned near Giselle, wrapping his arm humorously around her shoulder, obviously teasing her yet again. "You know you love me."

_You have no idea_, Giselle thought to herself. Her only response was to tilt her face downwards and press her lips tightly together, as if to block the words she longed to tell him.

Jeremy finished the apple and gave Giselle her personal space before standing up and stretching his arms over his head. His gaze traveled quizzically over the cafeteria, finding all of the tables to be packed except for theirs. "Hey, Gigi—"

"Jerry," she interrupted curtly, almost as if she was reminding him.

"Oh right, sorry. _Giselle_, we should have more people sit at the table."

"Uh, why?" She felt hurt that he would even suggest such a thing. After all, it had been just him and her for years, and he had never complained once about the arrangement. In fact, they were best friends, and this was their domain. Why should anyone intrude on it?

His hand snapped outward, gesturing to the display of crowded tables and hunched teenagers. His gesture showed that what he was referring to had been obvious. "Look at that. Our table is the only one with just two people."

"So?" She tried to sound bored, but the dwelling of pained emotions began to swell within her tone, starting to leak due to how overwhelming it was to keep hidden inside her.

"I feel like a loser," he admitted as he sat back down in his seat and held up his face with his palm.

Giselle blinked repeatedly, pondering if she could cast some shield over her eyes since they were now stinging with tears. "A loser? Do I really make you feel that way?"

Jeremy's gaze met hers in bewilderment, spotting the tears that blurred her vision and were prepared to trickle down her rosy cheeks. "No! Of course not! It's just we're left out from the others, and it doesn't feel right. Why are you crying?" His eyes widened in dread, thinking that he already knew the answer. "Wait, are you having women hormones or something?"

Giselle was compelled with anger at his words, but she couldn't help but laugh at how terrified he looked. Were men really that afraid of women hormones and PMSing?

Jeremy softened, but his russet eyes seemed to reflect that simplicity that warmed Giselle's heart. Giselle's anger seemed to evaporate once seeing it, and she felt the whole room become lighter, as if the air had been lifted or removed entirely.

_This is it. I've got to tell him_, she thought to herself as she felt the blood rush violently through her veins, almost as if her body was a racetrack.

Her pulse pounded vigorously in her ears. Sweat coated her pasty complexion, making her face feel unbearably wet even though only a few drops had formed. She cleared her throat, cleansing the words that were about to come out.

She looked up and smiled a light, carefree smile, feeling her hands go numb and her legs crash from what she was about to tell him. "Jeremy, I—"

"YEAH, BABY! AW, HELL YEAH!" An obnoxious, gruff tone tore through what Giselle was about to say, and the male population of the cafeteria whistled almost rhythmically as they all darted to the windows to look at some sort of display that was outside.

Giselle's opened mouth released nothing but a puff of air, and she swung her head around to study the group of boys who continued to whistle and make loud noises by the squared windows. She was about to speak to Jeremy once again when she saw him dart past her and sprint immediately toward the windows to see what sort of ruckus occurred. She found herself wandering after him once seeing he was no longer situated beside her and peered over his shoulder.

"Jeremy, what is it? What are they looking at?" she asked hoarsely, the anxiety from earlier causing her voice to sound damaged.

"I don't know…" Jeremy shoved some of the boys aside, which formed a space big enough for the two to occupy. They entered hurriedly so that their spots weren't given away and peered through the window, stunned at what they saw.

A girl—about as old as them—stood on the cement wearing nothing but a red plate that covered just her torso. Her ruby hair was long and extended down her back, ending in six curls that looked as if they'd been tied together. Her eyes were drizzled with confusion, but aside from the emotion that bound them, the black shade of her iris seemed to blend and hide her pupil, looking like the bottomless pits of a canyon. She was exceptionally beautiful and dazzling, but the fact she was wearing no clothes caused Giselle to immediately shield her eyes, and Jeremy's as well.

"Who is she?" Giselle asked, closing her eyes tightly just as someone teasingly—one of the boys apparently—removed her hand from her eyes.

"Don't know, but she's hot," Jeremy stated, pushing Giselle's hand out of his eyes.

Giselle wasn't just disappointed in hearing him say that; she was also deeply upset. As usual, he was oblivious to her feelings for him, but that was expected since he didn't even know about them. In the end, this was her fault.

Jeremy watched the girl that stood upon the cement, his eyes examining her face rather than the other features that the other guys were checking out. There was something noticeably different about her, and it seemed like he had seen her somewhere before. He could not deny the familiarity she emanated or the beauty that caused her face to glow, but he could see she was different from other girls. In a way, she reminded him of a Pokémon…yes, a Pokémon. Her hair was similar to a Vulpix's, and even her eyes were big and innocent like a Vulpix's.

Jeremy stood, silently pointing out the similarities to a Vulpix while Giselle watched him, fuming broodingly and yearning to yank Jeremy away from the sight. How could anyone stand looking at this? It was like public porn!

_This is ridiculous_, Giselle thought, just as one of the teachers began to separate the group with firm hands and a shrill voice.

The girl galloped out of view as the group tore apart, and the boys in the cluster drearily walked back to their tables as they noted her disappearance. Giselle and Jeremy walked back to their table together, their footsteps being the only thing to interrupt the tense silence that coasted between the two. Jeremy's thoughts broadened as he listed a Vulpix's features, and Giselle was too busy trying to hold back her tears to tug him away from his thoughts.

She took one last glance out the window and squinted, spotting a haze of black in the distance. She automatically calculated it as smoke and returned to dreading the rest of the day, her eyes shimmery with fresh tears. She couldn't help but form an envious hate for the girl she had seen through the window even though she didn't know her. It seemed like Jeremy liked her; it seemed like all the guys liked her.

She sunk into her sorrowful, envious thoughts, ashamed of her feelings for Jeremy. She thought this one of the worst days of her life, but little did she know there was more to come.

END PROLOGUE.

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Reviews? Thoughts? Opinions? Comments? Suggestions? I accept all x3 Also, I realize that this must've been boring, but I promise it will get better. Also, yes the description was bad. Feel free to point out any mistakes because I know there are some of those as well. Also, their age and whereabouts will be answered in the next chapter. Also (I'm saying that a lot xP), I promise there will be more information and Pokémon in future chapters. This is, after all, a Pokémon fanfic xD Hope you enjoyed!

* * *

Claimer: Giselle, Jeremy, the Vulpix human girl, etc.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN POKéMON OR ANYTHING AFFILIATED WITH IT. THIS IS JUST A STORY I'M WRITING. NOTHING MORE.


	2. Jeremy's Rescue and a Reunion!

OH MY GOSH. First I'd like to say I'm very sorry that the story is sooooo boring so far, but I PROMISE it'll get better. There's gonna be a whole lot of adventure, romance, comedy, action, horror, and a lot of other stuff in the future!

Basically, chapter 1 and 2 are just like...the beginning. They're getting the characters and the plot into action. Also, I'm very sorry to the _Squirmy Readers_!

Explanation:

There are two types of readers, in my opinion.

_Appreciative Readers_--these readers read past description and appreciate description; they don't mind length or thick piles of description

_Squirmy Readers_--these readers can't read past description and often get bored if there's too much; they'll probably stop reading a book or story with too much description

Okie, so I will admit that lots of my chapters has some boring depth of description, but I'm trying to improve on that! You see, I've developed a habit. A BAD habit. If I write something, it HAS to have at least decent description. If not, then I go crazy. Like...really crazy. o.O

For example, I go crazy if I write a sentence like this, but most of the time I restrain myself: _He clenched his fists._

It doesn't drive me insane with other peoples' writing, but for me it does! I just go CRAZY. But I'm improving. I'm thinking of the _Squirmy Readers_!

Also, if you see any mistakes or words with these [] around anything, then please let me know. I posted these on bulbagarden, and you have to bracket for the italics and stuff :3

ANYWAY, please enjoy! Feel free to review! I accept ALL reviewers--be them good or bad! Also, I accept anonymous reviews, so if you read this whole thing, please review! I'll give you a cookie if you do :3 And yes, I bribe with cookies. They are my friends.

ENJOY!

**::Chapter 1::**

**Jeremy's Rescue and a Reunion!**

_One year later…_

"Gigi! Head's up!"

Giselle paused mid-stride, her body whirling to face the source of the statement. "I told you not to call me—"

_Smack!_

A volleyball dropped almost immediately to the ground after hitting Giselle's face, a red mark forming where the ball had struck. The paralysis that had started from the ball's impact flowed through her limbs until freezing her completely. Giselle fell backward, her back hitting the ground first. A curtain of her black hair draped over her face once she hit the ground, hiding the mark that had begun her humiliation for the day.

"Whoa! Gigi, are you—"

"Oh for Christ's sake, will you shut up and stop calling me that?!" Giselle's body whipped forward, her back making a miraculous recovery. She hoped that the red mark that had caused her to fall was concealing the blush that subsided in her cheeks. Thankfully, it was a shade that blended in.

Jeremy kneeled in front of her, squinting his eyes to examine her face. "You okay?"

"Peachy. Or maybe I should say ruby because that's the color of my face right now, right? That ball is lethal," she spat, her nostrils flaring as she whipped her head away from him angrily.

He whistled in amazement and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, Gig—Giselle. Ross has bad aim." His voice reduced to a whisper. "By the way, you're getting bitterer as time goes by." He snatched the volleyball and made a retreat before Giselle could retort or insult him back.

She sat, fuming on the ground with her arms firmly crossed. Heat always bubbled inside her nowadays because of everything that was going on. She couldn't help but express her emotions through bitterness ever since that naked girl had showed up at school and mysteriously disappeared. Since then, her life was spiraling into some sort of depression, and she handled it by yelling and unleashing all of the emotions through rage.

After that naked girl had gone, a bizarre dark cloud had wafted over Cherrygrove City and had annihilated nearly all the Pokémon that were out in the open. The contents of the puzzling cloud were a mystery, as well as what it did to kill the Pokémon. The media referred to it as _the Pokémon Plague_ since it only affected Pokémon, and humans were in no danger of being killed. Since then, the Plague had been traveling and hovering across various cities and lands. Not only had this deadly Pokémon Plague appeared, but her parents had gotten a divorce, and her and Jeremy had drifted apart since then. I guess you could say life was currently sucking for fifteen year old Giselle.

For Jeremy, however, life was bright. Even though Giselle had grown unnaturally bitter, his spirits had somehow risen, and a permanent smile was plastered to his face even when there was a thunderstorm. He had made some new friends—Ross and Clayton—and he even had the chance of graduating early to obtain his license and starter Pokémon. It would probably take Giselle a few more years until she received her starter Pokémon and license, a fact she wasn't proud of nor wanted to think about.

At the moment, they were along the edges of Cherrygrove, mainly where water rocked against the shallow curves of the city. If you swam further, you would reach the deeper waters and eventually the ocean that stretched endlessly until it was out of the region. However, in order to reach the depths of the ocean, you'd have to swim past the large boulders that formed the outline and boundary. They always halted trainers from passing; there was a law not to pass the boundary for some reason. It was restricted because of the mayor's orders.

Jeremy hurried back to Ross and Clayton, who were both sopping wet from wrestling each other in the shallow water. He was about to hand the two boys the volleyball when Ross swatted it out of his hands, causing the sports ball to agilely glide past him and land in just a few inches of water. The soft currents that beckoned to the shore were causing the ball to roll further outward until it was floating atop the waves, ushered by the glistening liquid and the adamant wind that swayed it.

Jeremy glared sourly—and slightly jokingly—at the two boys. "Gee, thanks."

Ross, a tall boy with blond hair and green eyes, gave him a goofy smile and thumbs-up. Clayton just laughed, mirroring Ross's appearance, looking strangely like he was related to him somehow.

"Well crap I guess I'll go get it." Jeremy had begun to walk, but he paused, waiting for any protests.

"What are you waiting for? Go get the ball," Ross said, waving his hand outward and pointing toward the ball that continued to float inevitably away.

"Hey, I got the ball before. Now one of you has to get it." Jeremy crossed his arms and made a firm stance. His darkened gaze showed how intensely serious he was about the situation.

"Dude, you're just being lazy. Go get it yourself," Clayton said peevishly.

Jeremy sighed, showing scarce signs of patience. "No. I got it before. Besides it's not my ball, it's—"

"Oh for Christ's sake, will you three sissies just shut up?!"

Giselle stomped past the quarreling boys, causing them to fall silent as the vestiges of their argument seemed to echo in the air. Giselle knelt to the ground and removed her shoes, wiggling her toes in the water and shivering with delight at the chills that protruded from the pristine state of the shore. She was about to thrust herself into the water when a rough hand stopped her.

"It's okay, Giselle. I got this," Jeremy said with a cunning smile, convulsed by his pride.

All signs of her former self were deserted; a surge of fury caused a glower to arch on her face, making her seem hostile.

She trudged past Jeremy and slipped her body into the water, ignoring the fact that her clothes were now soaked. She adjusted to the cool temperature before thrusting her arms outward to move through the placate waves. The ball had floated at least fifteen feet away from shore, and it was continuously moving, causing distress for Giselle.

"Whoa, hey! Come back, Gigi!" Jeremy called, cupping his hands around his mouth, anticipating Giselle's angry reply.

She gritted her teeth and paddled until her body was turned around and facing the shore. "Damn it! Will you stop calling me that?!"

"I promise I will if you come back," he called back.

_Like hell you will,_ she thought as she paddled further toward the ball, approaching the spherical object and the rings of water that gathered around it.

The water was too cold to bear. She extended one of her numb hands toward the ball and snatched it, some of her fingers prickling once making contact. The numbness felt like an infection that spread throughout the body, but she did a tremendous job at ignoring it and begrudgingly routed her way back to the shore. Her teeth chattered like a jackhammer hitting concrete. She felt like her feet had become collapsible.

Jeremy was still shouting at her to hurry. Giselle felt too dignified to rush. The ball kept wandering off course from where her hand directed, and the thickness of the water felt like it was trying to plunge her beneath the surface. No wonder no one ever went past the shallow part of the water.

Giselle was hindered momentarily by a more dynamic wave. Once it lolled over her head, she coughed a bit from having consumed some water and then continued to guide the ball to the shore. Her bitter thoughts clouded her actions for a moment. Why was she out here again? Oh yeah. Because three idiots were arguing over a ball.

Her arms were stiff compared to the forceful effort of her legs. She was marveling over the fact she had done something the three boys had not dared to do—or, perhaps, had been too lazy to do it. Nonetheless, she had done it. No one was willing to go out in those waters. Everyone was too damn scared to interfere with such a thing. In the eyes of the boys right now, she was the hero. She was the brave princess these three cowardly knights needed. Just by thinking about it made her smile, something that was very rare to see.

Jeremy leaned over the water and held out his hand. Giselle snatched it and lifted herself out of the water before vulgarly chucking the ball at Ross. The boy was startled from the impact and stumbled into Clayton, landing on top of him as their legs buckled. Jeremy and Giselle erupted into laughter at the sight, giving both of them a nostalgic feeling about the good ol' days. They glanced brightly at the other before assisting the struggling duo.

"You're, uh, Gigi, right?" Ross asked, scratching the back of his head nervously after being pulled to his feet. His eyes met Giselle's shyly.

"No. I'm Cassandra." She looked away, holding no interest for the stammering boy.

"But Jeremy was calling you Gigi," Clayton pointed out.

"Want my real name? Fine." She smiled angelically before saying with a voice completely opposite of her expression, "None-of-your-damn-business."

"What a long name," Jeremy said sarcastically. Giselle punched him in the shoulder.

"Next time you boys choose to be damn lazy, do it somewhere else. God. You all gave me a headache." Giselle rubbed her head while ambling away from the on-looking group.

Ross stumbled after her. "Wait!"

"No." She craned her head, peering over her shoulder with a fierce scowl as she continued her route.

"Thanks for getting the ball," Ross said with gratitude.

Giselle was about to stop and turn around until she heard a _thwap_ and a splash that followed. She slowly peered toward the water to see that the ball had somehow dived in and broke through the surface, floating promptly away. Her eyes pierced the guiltiest one of the party—Clayton.

"I am _not_ getting that. You hear me?! Get it your damn self and do something about your lazy butt!" she almost screamed, stomping away from the three.

"Aw come on. I'm a handicap," Clayton said, sounding purposely whiny.

"That is bullshit!" Giselle flicked him off and gave him a vicious scowl, stomping completely out of view.

The three boys sat down along the shore, watching the ball drift sluggishly away.

"She has anger management problems or somethin'," Clayton muttered. "Who is she anyway? I saw you hang around her a few times, Jeremy."

"She's an old friend. She's changed though." Jeremy sounded like the cheerfulness in his voice was dimming, but he quickly changed the subject by bringing up something else. "So who wants to get the ball?"

"Don't know about you, man, but I don't feel like it," Ross said with a shrug. He paused. "Your friend is frisky. I like her."

Electricity sparked inside of Jeremy. He didn't know why, but the compliment that was directed toward Giselle had bothered him. No one had ever complimented her in such a way, so it caught him off guard to hear such a thing from one of his friends.

"So you like her?"

Ross grinned crookedly. "I guess so. Yeah."

"You don't even know her name," Jeremy said, the disbelief and anger causing an uncoordinated combination in his voice.

Ross and Clayton stared with mixed expressions. Ross's voice sounded risen, but taken aback. "Dude, chill. If you don't want me to get with her—"

"You were planning to get with her?" Jeremy couldn't believe what he was hearing. Ross had just met her for crying out loud! Had he really planned to ask her out? Giselle was like a sister to him. He had to be the protective big brother.

Ross and Clayton exchanged glances before standing. "Well I guess we'll get going. School is tomorrow after all. See ya." The two waved before scrambling away from Jeremy and his stiff position.

It was clear that he had frightened them somehow. The sound of his voice wasn't recognizable from what it usually was. He had even asked himself who was speaking until realizing that it was him.

Staring at the settled water and the ball that coursed through it calmed his nerves. He felt as tranquil as the body of water, which looked glossy once a shaft of light fused with its fluid surface. His eyes closed, and he took steady breaths. The air was misty compared to what it normally was. He felt like he was trapped in a drowsy trance, one that didn't allow him to open his eyes.

With his head lying gently against the ground, he let his arms lay nimbly at his sides. Slumber slowly wrapped its invisible arms around his muscles and his heavy eye lids. The rest of his body just eased into blackness, and the burden of staying awake was lifted.

"_JEREMY! JEREMY!"_

His eyebrow twitched, disturbed temporarily from his peace. The voice faded with the growing blackness.

"_GET UP! OH PLEASE GET UP! JEREMY!"_

Giselle was…crying? Her voice was shackled with horror and fear. What was going on? Still, Jeremy couldn't open his eyes. They felt too heavy to lift, and he wasn't sure if he was imagining Giselle's voice or not.

"_NO!"_

The final frighteningly high-pitched scream caused his eye lids to fly open. The dim sliver of sunlight was nowhere to be seen since an overpowering figure seemed to make up most of the sky. Once his eyes adjusted, Jeremy blinked and saw exactly what the figure looked like.

A huge serpentine dragon with a cobalt scaly body and a large blue crown hanging just above its glaring red eyes was sticking out of the water in an unrealistically big shape. Numerous wing-like fins flapped along its sides, colored with a pastel white instead of the blue pattern that repeatedly scaled its body. Jeremy wasn't sure what frightened him most—the fact that the Gyarados looked bigger than the buildings in town, or the fact that it looked capable of killing him.

It was then that Jeremy realized his feet were lying at the starting edge of the water. Without hesitation, he stood and bolted, only to be stopped by a blast of water from behind. The water was strong and painful once it hit his bare flesh, causing him to fall forward and damage his nose. He rubbed his face while looking up, seeing a worried Giselle standing about twenty feet away.

He was about to call out to her or even start running once again, but another discharge of water seemed to rope him and yank him towards the source of the liquid. His body was engulfed by the substantial waves, his flesh continuously lashed while the thickness of it towed him deeper underwater. The liquid buried him further as he held his breath for as long as he could manage. His lungs hungered for air, but the desire was based entirely on the water's course, which plunged him deeper, deeper…

It was hopeless. He would never reach the surface in time. The chances of returning were slim now, and his lungs felt ready to burst, his chest becoming the victim of this fact since it felt like a weight had been plunged in its center. His lungs seemed to survive on the little air he had left, and he felt his body drifting, finding no more reason to struggle or carry on.

Serenely, his body descended, finding the peace everyone longed to have, the peace everyone longed for in such a torn world. And then, just as easily as he had sunk, his body lifted, only it wasn't him that was doing the work. A new hope bloomed inside him as someone's arm tangled around his stomach and lurched him upward, toward what he knew was surely the surface.

He knew, however, that his lungs could not go on. They were to die from exhaustion soon, ending the oxygen passage that coursed through his body. He tried to coax his thoughts with survival, but his mind was in denial of that ever happening. He was probably already dead.

And then the liquid sky that had been above him shattered, and air plastered his face as his mouth flew open, inhaling the oxygen with relieved, yet exhausted lungs. A new sky—the real sky—spread out above him, the familiar sliver of sunlight meeting his wet face. He heard Giselle shouting, but he could not keep his heavy eye lids open to see her reaction. A forceful arm that belonged to a stranger pressed him to the shore, and the ground slowly reformed from beneath his tired body.

He breathed heavily, finding his chest in constant repression while trying to get enough air. Giselle's voice, sounding broken, flowed by his ear, but he didn't pay any attention to it.

Then, once he came to his senses, he sat up slowly, pressing a palm to his forehead. His eyes fluttered open shortly after and saw, firstly, Giselle, who roped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. Once she finally got off (he had to practically push her off), he noticed the soaking wet stranger that stood before him.

To his dismay, it was a boy who was even taller than him. The boy, oddly, had star-shaped hair that was colored entirely in tan. His eyes radiated an eerie shade of ruby, one that seemed out of place within the boy's tan body and hair. His eyebrows slanted over his eyes, and his voice sounded like it had been doubled with an echo.

"Are you all right?"

Jeremy pressed his right palm to his forehead yet again before nodding. "Yeah. Did you…save me?" He was astonished that he had been saved, but he was embarrassed of the fact that he couldn't save himself.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" Giselle was going hysterical, and Jeremy vaguely noticed the cascade of tears that she suppressed.

"It was nothing," the boy simply said, and turned, his voice sounding almost robotic.

"Wait, what's your name?" Jeremy called, ignoring Giselle's protective grip on his shoulders.

"That is not important," the boy answered in that plain, monotonous voice.

When the boy had completely disappeared from walking down the path, Giselle continued to hug Jeremy tightly until his lungs felt just as crushed as they had been underwater. He shoved her off gently with an apology and looked toward where the boy had disappeared. That same familiarity that he had experienced with the girl a year ago emanated off this boy. His star-shaped hair and ruby eyes…What did it remind him of?

The mindless babble of Giselle's voice interrupted his thoughts. "…so happy you're alive! I thought you were a goner when that Gyarados came out of the water! It was so weird because it just came out of nowhere and then that boy just leapt into the water and the Gyarados fled. It was so weird! You were underwater for a long time also! I was so scared, oh my gosh—"

He pressed a finger to her lip, silencing her. "Please don't talk. You're giving me a headache." He smiled apologetically at her as her mouth twisted with annoyance. "Sorry, but it's kind of hard to handle after experiencing a life or death situation."

Her anger dropped, replaced by concern. "Right. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, fine."

She began to mess with his hair like a mother would. He sighed irritably and shuffled away from her, wondering who that boy was and how he seemed so familiar.

"Whoa, wait, where are you going? You need to get to a hospital! What if you got any injuries?"

"I'm fine. I feel fine. I'll see you at school tomorrow. Okay, Gigi?" A smile widened his lips as he trailed away from Giselle and her outraged shouts.

"FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, DON'T CALL ME THAT!"

[-*****-]

School lied drearily under the even drearier sky. The clouds had gathered in front of the sun, as if to bully or taunt the gaseous ball of light. The atmosphere was the same, apart from the blanket of gray clouds suspended over the cerulean expanse of the heavens, tampering with the wind and causing its breeze to lower to a droop.

The academy Jeremy and Giselle currently attended was filled with chattering, buzzing students that spoke cheerfully of their studies. At the school, students were expected to wear uniforms of gray consisting of the roughest fabric. Both genders wore red ties, which remained to be the highlight of the overall dull outfit. Girls wore skirts with short sleeved shirts, while the boys wore shorts with short sleeved shirts. Depending on the weather you could wear long sleeved or short sleeved, but since the humidity drenched the atmosphere today, the majority of the student population wore short sleeved.

There were numerous classes, such as Pokémon Battling (also known as P.B.), Poké History, Pokébra and countless more. One of the more popular classes in the school was the class they called Poké Language. This class taught you how to speak to Pokémon, and it was required if you wanted to pass through school. However, there is a way of passing through school without actually graduating, and that option would be to go on a Pokémon journey.

The academy was mainly for students who did more studying or research before going on a Pokémon journey. Usually you're given the option to become a Pokémon trainer at a younger age, but there is a second option to remain in school and experience the life of a Pokémon trainer later on. This was the path that the majority of the students took, including Jeremy and Giselle.

Jeremy lingered near his class entrance, waiting for his first period to start. He had gotten to school early and had been allowed to enter with determined haste. He had avoided Ross, Clayton and Giselle because of how early he had showed, and thankfully he wouldn't have to socialize with anyone for the moment. He just wanted to be alone, even for just a little bit.

His thoughts flashed back to the boy from yesterday. His hair was shaped like a star…a star…identical to a Staryu…and it was even tanned…

His thoughts flashed again, this time to the girl he had seen last year who had bared resemblance to a Vulpix. Something just didn't seem right with what he saw. It seemed so…peculiar.

The obnoxious ringing of the school bell ricocheted off the walls and caused his attention to draw forward, entering the classroom with ease. He sat in his regular desk, which was positioned near the window, and stared through the glass, watching a few Spearow dawdle in a bushy tree.

Gradually, students piled into the classroom, filing into the arranged desks. Jeremy was thankful that none of his friends were in his first period because he didn't want to be distracted at the moment. His thoughts were consumed by the girl from last year and the boy from yesterday. They had one thing in common—they looked like certain Pokémon. They didn't look _exactly_ like Pokémon, but they looked similar.

Jeremy peered upward just as one of the teachers entered the classroom. The tardy bell echoed throughout the building just as the last student piled into the classroom. She didn't seem important at the time until the teacher directed her in front of the class. That's when realization struck.

It was the girl from last year. Her hair had gotten longer and thicker from last time with the six tightened curls at the end of her hair looking like they were about to split. Her eyes were the same familiar black eyes that stared and glistened knowingly, but they looked as if they were growing into a slant. She wore the usual uniform that female students were expected to wear, and her petite, slender figure fit into it nicely.

"Class, we have a new student," the bored teacher said as she stood awkwardly in front of the classroom. "Please introduce yourself."

The girl hesitated, eyes blinking rapidly until she just decided to look down at her feet. "M-my name is Ari."

Murmurs drifted through the students, and one of the boys shouted daringly, "Hey, you're that hoe from last year!" There were strained laughs from the outburst, and Ari's face showered with red even though she looked like she had no idea what he meant.

The teacher silenced the class briskly and guided Ari to her seat, which was directly behind Jeremy's desk. She sat down with her eyes staring down at the desk, almost as if she wanted to carve something into the wood. Jeremy's words sizzled on his tongue with the desire to speak, but he found that speaking in class wasn't allowed when the teacher's eyes hounded his row because of Ari's presence.

At the end of class, Jeremy rose promptly and whirled around to socialize with her as he collected his stuff into his arms. Ari was startled from his action, but she smiled briefly at him before gathering her supplies as well.

"I'm Jeremy." He held out his hand willingly, studying her dark almond-shaped eyes that blended in perfectly with her unseen pupil.

Ari stole a glance at his hand and shook it gently before dashing past him. He followed with the same determined pace.

"Wait, where are you going?" He began to pant as he ran, finding her speed impossible to maintain.

"Class," she answered promptly, and then halted as one of the teachers ambled by.

"Whoa, wait, I have to ask you—" Jeremy was interrupted as the girl took off once again, her shoes causing _clacks_ to hammer against the walls as they wasted no time in taking her to her next destination.

She was _fast!_ How was it even possible to be that fast? Jeremy was astounded when tracing himself back to his locker and then his next period. He was greeted by Giselle when ambling through the doorway, but her flashes of concern did nothing to ease the pants that still subsided in his chest from earlier.

"What happened? Why are you panting?" she asked worriedly, going so far as to reach her hand forward and gently place it on his shoulder.

He darted away from her, vaguely explaining that he had sprinted through the halls to avoid tardiness. He purposely didn't mention Ari or the fact he had been chasing her because he knew it would negatively affect Giselle's emotions. For some reason, she would always have bizarre mood swings whenever he brought up the girl from last year, which had turned out to be Ari. The strange thing was that Ari had reappeared after being gone from a year and now she was a student at the school.

Coincidence? Maybe. But for now the only question that scratched his skull was why Ari had returned in the first place.

Class started with a dull wave of chatter rising from the students. The teacher entered promptly while dragging a lanky boy behind her. Silence just fell into place after noticing that a youthful stranger had entered. Jeremy and Giselle were forced into shock once seeing that it was the same boy from yesterday.

The boy had no difference in appearance, which was something to be expected after only meeting him yesterday. His tan star-shaped hair remained intact despite his pace that should've moved the sculpted hairs. His ruby eyes were bright in contrast to his tan skin, and just like the day before, he carried that robotic and monotonous aura about him.

The teacher droned on about the aspects of class and how students are expected to achieve it until noticing the bored male teenager standing beside her. Her attention shifted onto him now as she said in a forced bubbly voice, "I'd like to welcome our new student! Keiba Greene!"

Faint murmurs rang across the classroom. Some of the students in the back had dozed off, apparently too tired to listen to the introduction or the teacher's previous lecture. Sunlight bathed the room from the single window on the left wall, drenching Jeremy's face and the stunned expression that had appeared on it after spotting and examining the familiar face of his rescuer.

Keiba was guided to a desk in the second row, which were three rows apart from Jeremy's. Giselle had proceeded to stiffening in her chair and whispering across the aisle to Jeremy, pointing out the boy from yesterday. However, Jeremy didn't need to be reminded that this boy had rescued him. He remembered all too clearly what had happened; the question was, how did the boy do it? Why was he a student as well?

There was no question to it. Keiba and Ari were connected in someway. Their enrollment in the school couldn't be mere coincidence.

Class, like the previous one, ended sooner than expected. The day seemed inhabited with deriving acceleration, or that's what it seemed.

Jeremy felt controlled by gratitude as he followed Keiba in a hurried pace, learning from Ari's experience that he would have to walk fast in order to catch up. However, Keiba's pace was softer and slower, like that of a Slowpoke's. Aside from this trait, his feet seemed to achieve a dull tempo, one that matched the rest of his stagnant appearance. The peculiarity of his appearance, however, was what caused distractions from the blankness of his eyes, showing that instead of the boredom bound to them, they reflected an incandescent gleam.

Keiba paused, and his eyes snapped like a mouse trap onto Jeremy's, causing him to jump. "Can I help you?" That dry robotic voice seemed to crow.

"I-I just wanted to thank you for yesterday. Again," he added, a glint of foolishness causing his fingers to curl.

Keiba seemed neither welcomed nor perturbed at what Jeremy said. Instead, he turned away and said tediously, "You are welcome."

"Wait!" Jeremy called out, the sense of wanting to befriend the boy becoming clear.

Keiba halted, as if it was crucial to heed to his command.

"Do you want to sit with me at lunch? I mean, you're new, and—"

"I shall ask my friends. Goodbye for now." The unusual boy broke off into a run.

Jeremy watched in fascination until slivering through a swarm of teenagers that toddled by his locker. The frustration that had begun to band inside of him was conditioned by the urgency to get to his next class. Giselle followed loyally, like a Growlithe to its trainer. She was determined not to leave him alone for one second, it seemed. It wasn't really helping that she had changed her schedule in order to obtain more classes with him.

There was nothing out of the ordinary in the classes. It was the same dull atmosphere with the same dull teachers teaching the same dull lessons. The first two classes had seemed more interesting than the classes Jeremy currently attended because of the new students that had joined them. Giselle even mentioned the peculiarity of it during lunch.

"Y'know, it's kind of weird that that guy that rescued you is going to our school now," Giselle said while stabbing her fork into the abnormally grey meat loaf she had gotten from the lunch line. Her nose wrinkled when doing so, her stomach giving pangs of hunger, desperate enough to eat even the inedible pile of discolored meat.

"Yeah," came Jeremy's tired and mindless answer. Ross and Clayton hadn't showed up to school for some reason, so he concluded that they were sick. Thankfully Giselle had the same lunch as him, so he wouldn't be alone for lunch. His eyes, at the moment, were scanning the cafeteria, filing over the numerous rows of filled tables.

Giselle cringed as she chewed on a mouthful of meat loaf, finding her stomach too perturbed to even growl after she had swallowed. She pushed the tray away and settled her cheek into her palm while studying Jeremy's searching eyes. "Are you looking for Keiba?"

"Uh, yeah." At least what he said was partly true. He was also looking for Ari, which he was thankful Giselle didn't know had enrolled. He couldn't help but notice the envy that budded in her eyes whenever he mentioned the bizarre incident from last year. Her constant complaints of the matter told him it wasn't a good subject to bring up, and the budding of envy had drastically transformed into fury. He had chuckled quietly when Giselle had referred to it as _public porn_.

Giselle's growing suspicion of Jeremy's desperation to find Keiba was at the top of her thoughts at the moment. She covered up her wary tone with tenderizing softness, saying almost lovingly, "So, how are you doing?"

"Good. You?"

She sighed, realizing her pitch at a conversation had been answered poorly. She tried again. "Oh, good. So how are you feeling? I'm sure you must be hurting from yesterday."

"Actually, I'm not," he said, momentarily tearing his eyes away from the scene of the buzzing cafeteria. He had given up from looking now, finding the search to be useless. If Keiba or Ari were here, he would've already seen them. "I'm feeling good. I just wish I could talk to Keiba."

"I am here."

Startled by the abrupt dreary voice, the two jumped in their seats. Jeremy was the first to spot Keiba, who was in the formation of a diamond with three other people. Ari was among the four, her black eyes latching onto his curiously. The two others varied in appearance and size.

The first of the two was a short girl with frothy white hair, looking like a cloud had detached itself from the sky to nest on the girl's head. Her beady black eyes appeared innocent and cute, but they were nothing in comparison to Ari's larger ones, which were now flitting nervously between the boiling Giselle and cheerful Jeremy. The last of the group was a tall muscular boy with red hair that jetted backward in a three-thorn crown. His eyes were a light green, glimmering with intensity and unusually paired delight.

Keiba was the first to speak. "I am sorry it took so long for me to find you. I had to get my friends."

"Oh, that's okay." Jeremy was delighted at the time, causing Giselle to simmer in response. He greeted the four cheerfully and introduced himself to the two that he hadn't met. "I'm Jeremy. And you are?"

"Calypso," the short girl answered first, an awkward smile causing her parted lips to break into cracks along the dry skin.

"Oliver," the ember-haired boy replied in a gruff voice. His jaw seemed to clench when doing so, but his lips had barely opened to speak the words. It was hard to see where his mouth was located since he kept his lips so tightly held together; Jeremy had thought it had vanished after he had spoken his name.

The group's attention was drawn by Giselle's hand, which furiously clawed the table in spite of the fact that she was aware of her actions. She clenched and unclenched her jaw, raw anger situating itself in the cool crescent of her cerulean eyes.

"Why are they here?" she asked, forcing the words out through her gritted teeth. She was mainly referring to Ari, but she knew that she wouldn't be able to control herself if she had referred to Ari alone. She was barely managing to control herself at the time anyway.

Ari's eyebrows furrowed, alarm sneaking its way out of her confused expression. "I'm sorry. Were we intruding?" She peered toward Keiba, as if to check that the invitation from Jeremy had been real.

"No, of course not!" Jeremy stood, gesturing toward the empty seats. "Please, sit down. I was hoping all of you would come."

Giselle restrained herself, her chest rising lowly as she discovered most of her anger had clouded the involuntary action to breathe. Was she just supposed to sit and take this? No! She would not let this happen again. She would not see Jeremy's eyes fawning over the same girl that had been the start to her misery. Not again.

Her eyes flickered across to each individual of the group that had filled up some of the empty spaces. Then her gaze landed on the unopened carton of milk she had bought from the lunch line. An idea shadowed her anger. A mischievous smile made her lips extend into a reformed wickedness.

While unlatching the top of the carton with her twiddling fingers, she smiled sweetly at the group and said, "I'm Giselle. It's nice to meet each of you." As planned, she pulled her hand back hastily, the edge of her thumb colliding with the milk carton and causing the contents of it to spill forward. Vertically apart from Giselle, the wooden table was drenched with the pallid, pasty white liquid, forming a river of milk as it flowed and sprayed directly toward Ari.

Giselle grinned in triumph, expecting Ari to shriek after the liquid had poured onto her lap. However, her expectations and grin dropped once seeing Ari's active response to the river of milk that had narrowly missed landing on her.

Ari swooped out of the way hastily, dodging it with swift grace. She didn't take it with surprise; it was more like a reflex or something she had been trained to do. Giselle was astonished when seeing it, and she couldn't help the maddening cover of red that sprouted in her face after seeing her little prank had been a failure.

"Oh, I'm so sorry about that," Giselle said after fuming silently for five minutes. The rest of Keiba's group stared at her with startled expressions. A mask of horror seemingly joined.

Ari peered downward and noticed that after dodging the approaching stream of milk, she had landed on the ground on all fours. Her legs felt out of place as she tried to pin them underneath her stomach. The awkwardness of the position caused Jeremy and Giselle to watch in perplexity and bewilderment. A few students seated at various tables glanced toward her, eyebrows furrowed.

"Oh, uh…" Flustered, Ari stood and brushed off her lap, as if dust had collected on her skirt from having bent to the ground. "I was just stretching. Sorry."

A veil of confusion haloed the table. Jeremy was pooled with relief, but the sight of Ari swiftly evading the milk that had undoubtedly been aimed for her and the position she had taken in order to do so dug his interest further. She was fast, exactly the same speed as she had been when running hurriedly through the hall. The significant difference from when she had been speeding through the hall was how her action had been animal, or roughly too wild to even be considered human. Giselle was too shocked to notice what had taken place, but Jeremy was keen on what he saw, especially since his suspicion had been wrought ever since first seeing Ari.

Calypso's fingers drummed the table, a sudden wave of apprehension stemming through her. "Er—umm, maybe we should—"

"Leave?" Keiba rose after suggesting it, his feet parted in preparation to scurry.

"No, wait, you just got here. Please, sit." Jeremy smiled, but that didn't ease the tension and awkwardness that had emerged from the four Pokémon-like strangers. They waved off his attempt as if it was meaningless and scurried across the cafeteria.

He nearly dove after them. "No, damn it, wait!" He sprinted. The four did the same in a quicker, determined speed. At this point it looked like a chase that was similar to Tom and Jerry's as the four dodged a predatory pounce from Jeremy. The crowded tables of the cafeteria seemed more like an audience now as some watched the amusing scene, scrutinizing the event as if it was a stage.

The performance ended early as the four entered the shadowed exit to the cafeteria and disappeared amongst the dim lighting. Jeremy didn't bother to follow them further since he was panting at this point, and he almost toppled over, making him realize how out of shape he was despite how thin his body was.

Giselle's previously cheerful emotions had already crumbled; a wall of unease and fury were imperious and seemed to thrust a darker side she never thought she was capable of through her. It coursed through her and made her limbs eager to launch. It was almost like a static charge of some sort that made her body naturally springy and athletic; a discharge of monstrous pleasure, a mischievous current of revenge. She felt this charge before and recognized it instantly. This charge had always led her to trouble and had always gotten her yelled at by her parents or her teachers. This charge made her become a rebel and made her bend a few rules. There was no name for it, but she surely knew what it was. It was like a dark side of her—always causing trouble and breaking rules. It was because she was so desperate to peeve Ari that this charge sparked inside her and helped her embrace her dark side. She no longer shrouded her smile with innocence; if her lips were letters, they would spell "guilty."

Jeremy dragged his feet back to the table in disappointment just as Giselle lifted from her place. She smiled at him endearingly.

"Sorry, Jerry. I have to go to the bathroom. See ya in a bit!" She was about to dash when Jeremy's hand curled around her wrist, halting her. His sudden hold startled her and caused rosy blush to flood her face. It felt like fire had bristled from his touch, making her flesh burn in a frenzy of heat.

"Wait." His gaze darkened once he really looked into her eyes, shadowing the disappointed edge to his frown. "I know you did that purposely."

"Did what?" Her eyes widened, but they went too wide. It made her look as if she was alarmed, but she was in a matter of speaking. Her heart was thudding rapidly in her chest from having been grasped along the wrist by Jeremy's rough hand. The same thrill she used to experience all the time jolted through her, like a lightning bolt had electrified her and ceased control of her grudge. She could already feel her palms getting sweaty, the experience making her throat unbearably dry, as if it was an internal desert.

"You purposely bumped into your milk carton, right?" One of his eyebrows rose. There was almost an amusing edge to his lips as he watched Giselle shift from his harrying stare.

"It was an _accident_. You gotta believe me." She gave him a quirky look.

Jeremy was positive that it hadn't been an accident. It was too coincidental that the target of the milk had been Ari. Giselle hated Ari even though she didn't know her. He knew her long enough to know when she was acting.

"I don't believe you, and it's really obvious, Gig—Giselle," Jeremy replied sternly, correcting himself.

She stomped her feet unexpectedly, causing his eyes to widen as she displayed what looked like a temper tantrum. She didn't care what she said or did now. It didn't matter anymore. "GOSH! I give you the best years of my life, and this is what I get?!"

"Uh…what?" He blinked back his confusion, but he could not contain the bafflement when saying the next statement. "I don't really understand what you're saying…"

"My GOSH! Boys are so dense! I _hate_ this! HATE it! You hear me?!" Her rising voice caused a few heads to turn. "I can't stand this anymore! You know what, _Jer-ee-mee?_ I'm _tired_ of you! Just go ahead and drool over that girl! See if I freaking care! I DON'T CARE about you anymore, okay?!"

She trudged away with various pairs of eyes watching her in amazement and mixed confusion. A few girls began to applaud her, and someone shouted, "You go girl!" After she had exited through the same shadowy exit Keiba's group had went through, Jeremy blinked continuously, avoiding the eyes that now plowed him.

What did she mean? Part of her statements had made sense, but it was hard to comprehend the rest…

Jeremy shrugged and sat down, avoiding eye contact with anyone that looked his way. He knew she was upset, but he couldn't resolve anything unless he knew what she was talking about. He hated seeing her this way, but he saw no other option. He felt blistered from all the eyes staring at him, but he had to simply evade anyone's gaze and wait for lunch to end. Then he'd get to see everyone—including Ari.

[-*****-]

The sound of Giselle's feet pounding into the ground during each step ricocheted off the walls. By the time she had made it at the end of the hall, her head swelled with a headache, but like previous times, it had been her fault. Her parents' divorce had been her fault. Her bad grades had been her fault. The distance between her and Jeremy had been her fault. The bitterness dwelling within her had been her fault. Who knows, maybe even the Plague was her fault.

She leaned back against the wall abruptly and sunk to the ground, resting her forehead against her knees. Tears stung her eyes, but she swept them away with the brush of her hand. She was suddenly so emotional. Maybe it was because she was tired of it all. She couldn't stand being at school or not being a Pokémon trainer. She hated being at home since her dad was no longer there, and her mother always had such coldness in her eyes. No wonder she was so bitter all the time. Perhaps she had adapted from hanging around her mother too much. And Jeremy…every time she was around him, the misery lifted. But she couldn't stand looking at his face while knowing that he didn't like her in the way she liked him.

"This sucks!" she cried, slamming her fist against the wall, making the joints in her fingers feel like they had crumbled from within her soft flesh. She kept pounding her fist against the wall until frigid numbness spread through it, and then she proceeded to doing the same to the other one.

With deadened hands, she rose and ambled inaudibly through the empty hallway since she had relieved her intensified resentment. She didn't care where she was going or if she was allowed to be anywhere other than the cafeteria. She just wanted to get far away, and if that meant skipping school, she was willing.

She whirled around the corner and lingered timidly against the wall. Her feet froze. She saw two figures shape visibly within the dim light that the windows offered, but it was unclear to whom they were. Slowly, her vision adjusted and she saw Ross stationed against the wall. Beside him was a boy, but he was sitting upon the ground instead of standing. She heard their faint voices and knew they were socializing, but she was curious to hear what they were saying. Then, just as she was fixing to take a step forward, Ross suddenly lifted his hand and placed it on top of the boy's head.

She blinked, slightly disturbed by the unusual display. Ross was…patting the boy's head. She watched further, curiosity peaked. Ross was…petting his head and nuzzling…his hair.

What in the world?!

She neared forward, and their heads simultaneously twisted in her direction. Ross quickly pulled his hand back and placed it behind his head, making it appear more casual. Once she was within three feet of them, she identified the seated boy.

Keiba?!

He watched her with those piercing red eyes, the cleanliness of his face making it gleam. She waited for his response, but it never came.

Ross was the first to greet. "Oh, hey, Gigi!" He waved enthusiastically. "What's up?"

She was too distracted by Keiba's guarded gaze to reply. Once Ross waved a hand in front of her face, she faced him and blinked. "Nothing. What are you doing?"

"I'll tell you if you'll go out with me." He winked, and Giselle felt like she had thrown up in her mouth. The nausea from having listened to his unworthy pick-up line caused her stomach to churn.

"Uh, no thanks. I'm not your type."

"What are you talking about? You're definitely my type," Ross said, hinting a smile.

"No, really. I don't think I'm your type. Aren't you two going out?" She gestured back and forth to Keiba and Ross. It took Ross awhile to register what she was saying.

He jumped back four feet, nearly knocking into the wall. "Ew! No, we're not going out! We're just friends! I'm not gay!"

She raised an eyebrow. "So…you're bi."

"What the HELL?!" He face-palmed. "Where did you get—" He suddenly froze and grimaced at his hand, understanding why she would've concluded that. "Oh…wait…"

"Yeah. You pet his head. I thought if I didn't approach, you two would start getting intimate, so I decided to come forward just to clarify. I'm so glad I wasn't about to be watching a make-out scene." She shuddered with disgust at the thought and detached her gaze from Ross's. Keiba was staring in confusion, looking as if he had no idea what she was talking about.

Ross watched her warily. "Why were you watching to begin with?"

"Oh, trust me. I wasn't watching long. I just happened to come down this hallway," she answered with the roll of her eyes.

"But why are you down here?"

"Why are _you_ down here?" she said briskly, eyes piercing his.

"Why did you change the subject?" Ross cornered her stare with a sharper one.

She scowled, but it wasn't as intense as his. "Answer mine first."

"No, answer _mine_ first," he retorted, sounding purposely whiny.

She smacked him across the shoulder angrily, causing him to recoil. "Shut up! You're such a nuisance."

"Oh come on. Is that anyway to treat a _straight_ guy that's willing to date you?" His smile made her resentment grow to the point where she couldn't control herself.

"Shut UP!" Her hands repeatedly slapped him with furious swipes that only a really agitated Pokémon could manage.

She was stopped by hard hands and an even harder voice that seemed to crow in her ears and rasp with each word it said.

"Touch him again, and you're dead," the voice said, ironed with no emotion and the roughness of a sandpapered stone.

Once she was released, she dropped to the ground and heaved onto her side, startled. Then she stood with the assistance of Ross's hands until leveling herself and peering toward Keiba, who was staring at her icily.

She grimaced at Ross and found her anger contained the same balance of her wobbly feet. "What the hell was that? Trying to _molest_ me?" Her emotions were so strong that she ignored the bruising mark she had given him.

"Uh, well…he was only defending—" He didn't get to finish because Giselle had stormed off, murmuring furious rants under her breath as she threw her hands up in the air.

Giselle's nostrils flared. How _dare_ he? Keiba was certainly determined to protect his _lover_. Geez! She didn't care what Ross said. He was gay; Keiba was gay. They were together. As long as her accusations annoyed Ross, she was fine with that. She still couldn't believe what just happened. Why were they there? Why did Ross pet Keiba's head?

The questions piled as she burst through the front doors of the school. The sky blossomed overhead, streaks of red blazing across as the sun emblazoned its opaque surface. The dirt looked bronze under the sky's powerful glow. The air felt heavier with thick humidity. The aroma that wafted consisted of fresh shaven grass and the dry leaves of basil.

Yeah, she was skipping, but what else was there to do? School sucked anyway. She was tired of being there and showing she was a failure time and time again. What would one absence do? Besides, they only had a few periods left until the day ended. The evening sky had already showed up. She might as well spend her time wisely. It's not like she was going to be _successful_. Her grades proved that.

She wandered through the streets until coming upon one that was aligned with shops. While ambling, her gaze traveled across the transparent displays, and suddenly her gaze fell upon a breaking news report. The reporter on screen was much older than her with wrinkles causing his skin to sag. His hair tinted with gray, and his eyes were a blank blue. He rambled on about how there had been several robberies and one of them had been an important egg that was relative to Pokémon professors everywhere.

Suddenly, Giselle felt inspired. A strange thrill discharged through her, and she had a new idea, one that would probably help influence her career.

[-*****-]

Ross settled his hand onto his lap while staring straightforward. He didn't know what to think at the moment. Giselle had mysteriously appeared, accused him of being gay and then gave him a bruise. Not only that, but she had seen him pet Keiba. However, it wasn't like that in anyway. Their bond was…hard to explain, but both of them were straight.

Keiba chuckled after Ross had explained the situation to him—an odd thing to hear when fused with his robotic voice. "I am straight as well. I did not understand the terms. Thank you for clarifying."

"Yeah. Can you believe she thought we were dating?" Ross smirked at the thought, shaking his head. Then he glanced toward Keiba and saw that his eyes were closed. "Having trouble adjusting?"

"It is painful," Keiba admitted as he opened his eyes, blinking them repeatedly. "I'm not used to this sort of thing. It's a trait I was never required to have."

"Yeah." Ross closed his eyes, leaning back against the wall. "I'm surprised we haven't gotten caught yet."

"Yes." Keiba dipped his head and closed his eyes yet again. "I would like to thank you for letting Ari, Calypso and Oliver stay and attend."

"Hey, your friends are my friends. It's not a problem," Ross assured him while crossing his limp legs and folding his arms behind his head.

"Yes…" He cleared his throat. "That girl from earlier…she seems…"

"Hot? Yeah," Ross agreed dreamily, earning an emotionless glance from Keiba.

"No. She seemed rather cold, actually. She almost seemed like…one of us."

This caused Ross's curiosity to wane, and he leaned forward with a prying intent. "You think? I don't know if she's been going here that long, but Jeremy knows her. He got really defensive when I told him I wanted to go out with her."

"Defensive? Maybe's she one of his…" He trailed off, piecing everything together carefully. It all made sense.

"Which one would she be though?" Ross asked, cocking his head to the side.

"I'm not certain, but she was quite fierce when attacking, correct? It was…inhuman."

Ross paused before agreeing. "You're right…That makes sense…"

"Perhaps we should interrogate tomorrow," Keiba suggested.

"Yeah…and that's why she had been watching us. She must know what you are," Ross said, eyes widening. "And she didn't want us to know she knew, so she approached and said she thought we were gay so that we wouldn't think she knew about it. It makes sense!"

Keiba nodded and stood briskly, holding out his hand to Ross. "Let us go and find Ari. We must discuss it."

Ross stood after taking Keiba's hand. They trailed down the hallway in silence, bursting through the doors in the same way Giselle had a moment ago but with less anger.

While looking up to the sky, Keiba's eyes narrowed and he slid his hand against his forehead, shadowing his vision so that the dimness of the sun couldn't harm it. With a grim frown, he shook his head and let his hand fall back to his side.

"It could be approaching," he stated calmly with another shake of his head.

This time, Ross looked up as well. "Yeah…you're right. This isn't good. Is it because Ari and the others are here?"

"Perhaps." Keiba's thoughts swam with possibilities, but he couldn't speak any of them aloud until he was certain. "All I know for sure is that the Plague is near, and it's searching."

Ross nodded. "Then we don't have much time."

With a brisk starting run, the two dashed over the concrete streets and kept running until they were gone from view. The sun lowered from their disappearance, masked by a looming dark cloud.

The Plague was coming. The clouds foretold its presence.

* * *

*cue spooky music*

DUN DUN DUUNNNN.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed! Chapter 2 is coming soon, however, it will be in two parts because I don't want to bore you with a super long chapter! THAT'S RIGHT, _Squirmies!_ I'm thinking of you!! =D I even nicknamed you guys :3

PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU READ :O

Claimer: Ari, Jeremy, Giselle, Ross, Keiba, Clayton, Calypso, Oliver, etc.

Disclaimer: DON'T OWN POKéMON. 'NUFF SAID.


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